Ceropegia papillata

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A climbing plant. It has thin twining stems. It has a fattened rootstock. It grows 1 m high. The leaves are opposite and simple. The leaves are heart shaped and taper to the tip. They are hairy on both sides. The leaf blade is 3-6 cm long by 1-2.5 cm wide. The flowers are white and in groups. There can be 10 flowers in a group. The lower third of the flower tube i swollen.

There are about 160-200 Ceropegia species. Also put in the family Asclepiadaceae. It is a rare species and should not be harvested from the wild, but instead cultivated.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in mountainous areas between 1,350-2,000 m altitude in East Africa. It is often in rocky places. It needs well-drained soils and sun.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia

How it is used for food

The leaves and roots are eaten raw.

They are eaten by boys.

Edible parts

Leaves, root, tubers, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Chang'ombr, Fwafwalingo, Liundumula

Synonyms

Ceropegia cordiloba Werderm.;